Most people with a dissociative disorder who experienced childhood trauma will have parts of personality that experience themselves as younger than the persons actual age: adolescents , child parts of primary school, or even toddler and infant parts.

It is as though these parts are stuck in various developmental time periods of the past. They often hold trauma memories, distressing, painful emotions or sensations, but sometimes also have positive memories.

They typically are unresolved feelings of longing, loneliness, dependency, and need for comfort

Helper Parts

Some people but certainly not all, have helper parts in their inner world that take care of the well being of other parts, an inner form of regulation that can be a resource and basis for leaning further self soothing skills.

Sometimes helper parts are modeled on a kind person from the past or an appealing character from a book or movie or television.

These parts are the traumatized child’s attempt to soothe and comfort himself or herself.

For some people, the major part of the personality who functions in daily life can learn to be quite empathetic and helpful for inner parts as well.